Avon’s Josh Cronkite (4) had a game-high four goals in Saturday’s 7-6 win over Notre Dame-West Haven.
AVON, May 15, 2021 – The Avon High boys lacrosse team has learned some hard lessons this spring. The Falcons have dropped one-goal decisions three times in losses to East Catholic, Hall and Guilford.
Finally, one turned Avon’s way on Saturday.
The Falcons scored the final two goals of the contest to beat visiting Notre Dame-West Haven, 7-6, on a gorgeous Saturday morning with sunshine spilling across the turf field at the high school.
“You learn,” Avon’s first-year head coach Adam Cost said. “We lost a few (one-goal decisions) so we learned a lot. Taking all of those lessons throughout the year helped us close it out today.”
The visiting Green Knights had a 6-5 lead in the fourth quarter before Derek Thompson tied the game with his first goal of the contest. A few minutes later, it was Jack Mangel with his first goal of the contest to put the Falcons ahead for good, 7-6.
Avon (6-5) was able to keep possession of the ball and ride out the final minutes of the contest to earn the win and snap a three-game losing streak.
“It was a game about the things we have been working on this year,” Cost said. “Keeping our energy and effort up. Today was the day that as a team we came together and lifted each other up with our energy and effort.”
Josh Cronkite led the Falcons with four goals while Mangel, Thompson and Braden Gilbey each had individual goals. Andrew Depee had an assist.
It gets physical in front of the goal as Avon’s Josh Cronkite is about to find out as Notre Dame’s Jackson Paulish is about a second away from putting his stick into Cronkite’s chest in the first quarter of Saturday’s game in Avon.
For Notre Dame-West Haven (6-7), Aiden Fletcher led the way with three goals and two assists while Gavin O’Mara, Dom Jasti and Kyle Grande each had individual goals. Knight goalie Connor Smith made 15 saves to keep his team in the game.
Avon returns to action on Monday when they travel to Newington for a 3:45 p.m. against the newly-christened Nor’easters.
CCC Central boys lacrosse
| Team | Division | Overall |
| Simsbury | 5-0 | 9-2 |
| Glastonbury | 5-0 | 7-5 |
| Hall | 5-1 | 9-2 |
| East Catholic | 3-2 | 9-3 |
| Southington | 1-4 | 7-5 |
| Avon | 1-4 | 6-5 |
| Somers | 0-4 | 5-5 |
| Conard | 0-5 | 1-7 |
